Automatic toy-train control



. Patented Dec. 31 1940 UNITED. sures zoo-1,411

I noromnc comment 00 i i: to L Walter B. Jones, Emporium, Pa, usiznor t v node Sylvnnic. Corporation, Salem, Mann, c corporation or Malsnchusetts Application December 16, 1931, Serial No. icons l4 (o1. zoo-a2) this invention relates to train control apparotus and more especially to controls for toytrcin systems and the like.

it principal object of the invention is to proii vide an improved block control arrangement for electric toy-train systems and the like.

A lecture of the invention-relates to an autorootic block control arrangement for electric toytrolns whereby various combinations oi signaliii, line; conditions may he set up in the system.

ilnother lecture relates to on electric toy-train system whereby nutomntic means ore provided ior delaying the movement oi the tr ior o. predetermined time interval nt o shcciol ioloch iii section oi the trash.

other ienture relates to on electric toy-trnin no embodied in one orticulnr type oi electric toy- -trcin system, it will he understood thct it moy he eounlly well applied to other types oi systems,

illi Accordingly in the drnvvinc, there is shown in schematic form ior explanatory purposes, o. typi col section oi o toy-trein system emhodyinc tentnres oi the invention. 'Ihe drewino shows to short section of e. track arrangement nsuoliy enio hloyed in electric toy-train system. 'lhe troci:

comprises the outer reils l and 2 constituting the mom trocir rolls on which the wheels oi the toy-tr t ride, while the middle roll t is the trolley or contact roll which is adapted to contii toot with a suitable brush t or the like, carried 'hy the train but insulated therefrom. One tor ininol oi the train motor 6 is connected to brush t and the other terminal is grounded to the axle i and thence to rails i and i. The power for til operating the trains may be derived from the secondary winding 8 of a suitable step-down transformer, the primary winding t of which is connected to the electric light or power supply lines, One terminal of the secondary winding to it is connected by conductor it to rail 4, and the other terminal is connected by conductor M to rails i and 2. Y

Rail in; both electrically and mechanically continuous, while rails i and t are connected by short sections it, it which are electrically insulated at the points it, it; it, ii. The sections it and it may he insulated from the rolls it end t by suitable insulator pins which may he irrserted between the cdiocent ends of roll t end section it, and between the ediacent ends oi rail t and section it. The hloclr section oi troclr represented hy rolls it end it may he used for any suitahle sicnellinc or control. nurnose. For example, end in occordence with the invention, it is nrrnnced to provide nutoniotic stonpind end delnyinn oi the tr thcreot, ior o predeten ned period oi time.

For the nurnose oi setting" end controlling the various slrnnne end hlocirins orreenients, there is rovided o. men switch hovins; e, mov nhle nrno it end ossocintcd lined contocts it, ti, tlfhcn the switch own is closed on contest it, the windino it oi o. suitehle reley is connected heroes the current supply conductors til, it For means oi rolls l end lteiny it is provided with o. movnhle crmotine e front contoct d n heclr contact contoct it controlling the circuit oi n creen slcnni lnrnn end con tact contro r the circuit oi or red signal lonin ii. hlorin m that is, when orm it is in W position itnnd no cnle oi the train is present in the sicnolinc: sectionvvhioh contoim the rolls it end it, dine it is deencrcized, nrmnture it enco es contoct it end niointnins the red lemn it liohted over n circuit which nioy he hit tinned from conductor it, roll conductor it, torso it,w contoct ormoture tit, conductor it,

t to conductor it do ions es the lnrnn ill is iichted, section it oi the truck is deenerclred. fin the other hnnd, when the rcloy it is ener- 'h sized, the cream lamp it is lighted over o circuit traceable from conductor ii, roll t, conductor lamp it, contact it, armature conductor it roll t to conductor it. its lone no content it is closed, the roll t is directly connected to section it by means oi conductor it, ornicture i, contact it and conductor til. When the switch arm it is closed to contact it, roll it is not energized before the train reaches the signallng section. Thispositlon of the switch short- 80 circuits the cathode 32 and the anode it oi tube it. When the train enters the signaling section, its axles make contact'between rail i and it, thus energizing relay winding 22 over the circuit formed by conductor ii, rail i the train axle lid (I e. g.), rail l2, conductor 31, arm 8, winding 22, conductor 29, rail 4 to conductor Ill. Energizing of winding 22 closes armature 23 to contact- 24, energizing rail l3 and changing the light from red to green as discussed in detail above. Thus, when arm I8 is in position 2|, the train entering the signal section changes the light from red to green and energizes the motor.

For the purpose of delaying the train in the block for a predetermined time interval, there is provided a thermionic discharge tube 3|, having an electron-emitting cathode 32, which is adapted to be raised to electron-emitting temperature by a separate heater filament 83. Associated with the cathode 32 is an anode 34. Preferably the tube 3| is of the sluggish or slow-to-heat cathode type, so that a predetermined time interval elapses between the original energization of filament 33 and the attainment of a temperature enabling the tube to pass current of sumcient magnitude to operate relay 22. When the switch arm l8 engages either contact I! or contact 2i, relay 22 is operable independently of the tube 3i. On the other hand, when switch arm I8 engages contact 20, the circuit for energizing relay 22 is controlled by the space current between cathode 32 and anode 34. Consequently, by operating switch arm l8, various combinations of signalling and blocking conditions may be attained.

Assuming for example the arm I8 is in engagement with contact l9, then relay 22 is energized over conductor ll, rail l, conductor 35, contact l-9,.switch arm I8, winding 22, conductor 29, rail 4 to conductor ID. The operation of relay 22 closes the above described circuit for lighting the green lamp 26 and at the same time connects rail d electrically direct to section l3 through contact 24 and lines 29 and 30. Under 40 these conditions, the green light 26 remains lighted and the train can move for example in the'direction oi the arrow through and past the block section, it being understood that rails l and 2 are connected together electrically before and after the block section by tie members 38. When it is desired to stop the train for a predetermined period in the block section, switch arm i8 is moved to contact 20. Under this condition, the relay 22 is not energized before the train enters the control block section. When the train moves The relay 22 is thus energized, opening control 25 and closing 24. Thereby the lamp 21 is switched ofi, 26 lights up and section B is connected to the potential of rail 4 by way of line 30, contact 65 24 and line 29. The train is now being energized in the control block section, and starts moving on. After the train has moved out of this secton, relay 22 is deenergized, as the plate circuit of tube 3| opens.

70 When switch 58 is in position 21, the red light 21 is lighted and the relay deenergizes. As the train enters the control block section rail l2 becomes energized thru axle I. This energizes relay 22 switching light to green and train proceeda 73 Under the last described set of conditions, as the train leaves the block section. rail i2 is disconnected from rail I and current ceases to pass through winding 22, thus releasing armature 23 and causing the lighting oi red lamp 21. The above conditions are therefore repeated each time the same train or succeeding train enters the block section.

It will be understood 0! course, that while one specific embodiment of the invention has been described, various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, in addition to the red and green lamps, suitable buzzer or audible signals may be provided in parallel therewith to give suitable audible indications in place 01' or supplementary to the visual indications. It will also be understood that by varying the value of the resistance 36, the time delay period of the train in the block section may be varied as desired.

What I claim is:

1. In an electric train system, the combination of a track, a train adapted to ride on said track, a source of electric power for energizing said track to drive said train, said track having a block section including a main rail and a third rail normally insulated from said main rail whereby when said train enters said block it is stopped therein, and means controlled by the train to energize the said insulated third rail section to'cause the train to proceed through the block only after a predetermined time interval, and tor deenergizing said insulated third rail section substantially immediately after the train leaves the block, the last-mentioned means including a thermionic tube having a slow-tohe'at electron-emitting cathode and an anode with the anode connected to a normallyinsulated section of one of said main rails in the block section, the potential or said anode being substantially immediately disconnected in response to the train leaving the block.

2. In an electric train system, the combination mionic tube having a slow-to-heat cathode and a heater for the same; a connection from one terminal of said source to one terminal of said heater, a connection from the other terminal oi the heater to said normally insulated main rail section, a bridging means carried by the train for connecting said normally insulated main rail section to the other terminal of the source when the train enters said block, a connection from said normally insulated main rail section to the anode of said tube, means to connect the insulated section of the third rail to the third rail of the track stretch under control of the anode-cathode current of said tube but only after a predetermined time interval determined by said cathode, a go signal energized at the end of said interval the anode of said tube being immediately deenergized when the train leaves said block, and a stop signal associated with said block and rendered efiective substantially immediately upon deenergization oi said grin? and in response to the train leaving the iii '3. 'In an electric trainsystem, the combination of a track having a control and signal section insulated from the track stretch with respect to one main rail and, the third rail thereof, a source of electric power connected across the main and third rails of the track stretch, said block being normally disconnected from said source whereby the train is stopped in the block, means automatically effective to start the train through the block after a predetermined time interval, the last-mentioned means including a. thermionic tube and a relay having an energizing winding connected in series with the anode and cathode of said tube, said tube having a slow-to-heat cathode, and a circuit for heating said cathode including means carried by the train for closing said circuit only when the train enters said block.

l. A. system according to claim 3 in which the tube is of the indirectly heated cathode type having a heater filament and the filament is .connected to said power source by said means carried by the train.

5. An electric train system comprising a track having main rails and a third rail, a control and signal section for the track insulated from the track stretch with respect to one main rail and the third rail, a source of electric power connected across said main rails and said third rail, a thermionic time delay tube having a heatable filament, means to apply heating current to said filament including a member carried by the train and electrically bridging the main rails in said section, a relay controlled by the space current of said tube, said relay when energized electrically bridging the third rail in said section to the third rail of the track stretch, said relay being energized only when the anodecathode current of said tube reaches a predetermined magnitude.

6. In an electric train system, the combination of a track having main rails and a third rail, a source of electric power having its terminals connected across said main rail and said third rail, a control and signal section in said track insulated from the track stretch with respect to one main rail and the third rail, a thermionic time delay tube having a slow-to-heat cathode with a heater filament and an anode, a member carried by the train and effective when the train enters said section to close a circuit through the said filament, a relay controlled by the space current of said tube and arranged to operate its contacts to bridge the third rail portion of said section to the third rail of the track stretch only after a predetermined time interval controlled by said cathode and the presence of the train in said block, said relay immediately releasing when the train leaves said section.

'7. In an electric train system, the combination of a track, a train adapted to ride on said track, a source of electric power connected to said track, said track having a pair of main rails and a third rail, a control and signal section in said track insulated from the track stretch with respect to one main rail and the third rail, a relay having contacts for electrically bridging the third rail of said section to the third rail of the track stretch, a thermionic tube having a slowto-heat cathode with the heater filament connected between the insulated portion of a main rail in said section and a terminal of said source, the anode-cathode circuit of said tube including a winding for said relay, a member carried by the train for completing said filament circuit to the other terminal of the source when the train enters said section, the train being automatically retained in said section until the anode-cathode current of said tube reaches a predetermined magnitude, said relay releasing substantially immediately when the train leaves the said section.

8. In an electric train system, the combination of a track, a train adapted to ride on said track, said train having an axle adapted to electrically bridge said main rails, a source of electric power connected to said track, said track having a control and signal section insulated from the track stretch with respect to one main rail and the third rail, a switch having a plurality of positions, a relay for electrically connecting the third rail of the said section with the third rail of the track stretch, an energizing winding for said relay, a circuit including the train axle for connecting the winding of said relay to said power source whensaid switch is in one position at the time the train enters the said section, said circuit being broken when the train leaves the said section, a thermionictube having a slow-to-heat cathode and having the anode-cathode connected in series with said winding and source when said switch is in a second position whereby the train can proceed through the said section only after the duration of a predetermined time interval determined by said cathode, the initiation of energization of said cathode being controlled by the entrance of the train into said section and the energization ceasing substantially immediately when the train leaves said section.

9. A system according to claim 8 in which said switch is provided with a third position which controls another circuit for connecting said winding to said source independently of said tube and independently of said axle.

10. An electric train control system comprising a track having a pair of main. rails and a third rail, a source of electric power connected to said main rails and third rail, said track also having a control and signal section insulated from the track stretch with respect to one main rail and the third rail, stop and go signals associated with said section, a relay for controlling said signals, said relay when operated closing a circuit for the go signal and when released closing a circuit for the stop signal, a three-position switch, a circuit closed when said switch is in one position for connecting said relay to said source only when there is a train in said section, a circuit closed when said switch is in a second position and a train is in said section for connecting said relay in series with the cathode and anode of a thermionic tube and said source said cathode being of the slow-to-heat type whereby the operation of said relay is delayed for a predetermined time interval controlled by said cathode during which interval the train is prevented from leaving said section, said relay when operated closing a circuit through the train motor to move it out of said section, and a third circuit closed when said switch is in its third position for connecting said relay to said source independently of said tube and independently of the presence of a train in said section.

11. An electric control system according to claim 10 in which said cathode is provided with a heater filament and an adjustable resistance connected in circuit with the filament for controlling the duration of said predetermined interval.

12. An automatic train control system including a track stretch along which a train is to ride, a control and signal section for said track having at least one rail insulated from the corresponding rail of the track stretch, a relay for controlling the electrical connection of said insulated rail of said section to the corresponding rail oi the track stretch, a time delay device for controlling the operation of said relay to cause said relay to connect said insulated rail of said section to the corresponding rail of the track stretch only after the train has been in said section tor a predetermined time, the last-mentioned means including a thermionic vacuum tube having a slow-to-heat cathode and a circuit for heating said cathode and energizing the anode of said tube which circuit is closed upon the entry of the train into said section, said anode being im-= mediately deenergized upon the train leaving the said section.

13. A system according to claim 5 in which a variable resistor is included in the said circuit for the filament tor the purpose of varying the time delay interval of said tube in applying said power to said section but without materially delaying the disconnection of power from said section when the train leaves the same.

14. A system according to claim 6 in which a relay is connected in circuit with the anode and cathode of said tube, said relay having a pair of contacts for completing a circuit between the insulated portion and the uninsulated portions of said third rail said relay breaking said circuit immediately when the train leaves said section.

wam'm R. JONES. 

